@lifeaccordingtotalon -‘ Prayers to Sharmeka Moffitt. It is truly sad someone would light a woman on fire because of her race. Stop Racism’.

Tweets like this flooded in from around Louisiana this week as it was believed black mother Sharmeka Moffitt (20) had been the victim of one of the most shocking hate crimes the state has seen in decades. It was alleged that whilst she was walking through her local park, Moffitt had been attacked by three white men who set her alight and embellished her car with the notorious KKK logo . Moffits sister Michelle who rushed to her aid also claimed the word n*** had been daubed on the car. In a town still scarred from the racism of it’s past (Louisiana is the state where the KKK was founded in 1867) it wasnt long until news spread. Facebook groups such as ”Prayers for Sharmeka Moffitt’ popped up overnight, with calls for CNN nd NBC to cover the story.

Twitter users such as @Riennecamille who tweeted ‘why wont the media report the truth about the attack of Sharmeka Moffitt @CNN @MSNBC @NBC @FOXNEWS…’, were shocked that the police had not classified the attack as a hate crime. Citizens of the small town were given the reason behind the delay this week. It was revealed after a post-mortem that Moffitt’s 60% burns were self-inflicted. Police found Moffitt’s prints on both the lighter used and the lighter fluid. Just like that the alleged KKK revival vanished and what we were left with was a clearly mentally ill young woman. Today ‘Prayers for Sharmeka Moffitt’ posted this message ‘to think that a young would even do this to herself is troubling’ calling on people’s continued prayers for the young woman. Sharmeka Moffitt remains in a critical condition in hospital.